


Tea Leaves and Green Jade

by Noizchild



Series: Wasteland 2011 [8]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Clan, Drama, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, Love, Money Troubles, Rape, Suffering, Wasteland, con man, old flame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 04:40:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 12,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6270016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noizchild/pseuds/Noizchild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Third volume up. One of three stories that follow my poem, "Wasteland 2011." Things get hectic when Ju's con man uncle, Jianjun, comes to town seeking the clan's power and money. Meanwhile, the wasteland's poison really starts to spread to the other countries with Kiku feeling it the worst. On top of that, Ju's old boyfriend returns from Europe to reclaim her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Giant Storm

Tea Leaves and Green Jade

Match One: Giant Storm:

Wang Yao and Ivan Braginski sat at the bus stop, waiting. The Russian man turned to his Chinese roommate.

"Refresh my memory," he said. "Why exactly are we out here today?"

"We're picking up Ju today," Yao explained. "She starts winter break."

"Ah," Ivan said, nodding. He turned back to the empty landscape in front of them. Ivan couldn't understand the full nature of his roommate's relationship with his business partner. Neither Yao nor Ju would go into full detail about their affairs. The Russian man began to wonder if they were more than just business partners. Yao danced around the subject for close to a year now. Maybe, Ivan could get a straight answer out of the Chinese man right now.

"Yao," Ivan spoke up.

"Uh-hm?" his roommate asked.

"What exactly is Ju to you?" the Russian man asked once again.

"Business partner," Yao began with again. "We work together." Ivan narrowed his eyes at him.

"What is she to you _really_?" he asked. Yao froze and glanced at him.

"Why?" he asked. Ivan shrugged his broad shoulders, shaking his head.

"Just curious," he said. Yao scooted away from him on the bench. He wasn't going to fall for this trap again. Ivan was about to speak again when the bus pulled up. Yao rose to his feet with his arms outstretched.

"She's here!" he exclaimed, changing the subject. He walked up to the bus as the door slid open. However, shock came across his face when he laid eyes on his business partner. Ju stood before him with her familiar slender form looking at him. However, that wasn't what blew him away.

"Ju-furen, what happened to your hair?" Yao asked in a gasp. Ju made an odd face at him.

"What about it?" she asked as she felt along the edges. Gone were her long ponytails this year. Instead, her hair came to her nape and ears with the ends slightly curled inwards. Yao shook his head.

"It's nothing," he brushed off. "Anyway, welcome home." Ju gave him a polite smile.

"Thank you, Yao," she said. Ju looked over his shoulder to see Ivan peering at the pair.

"Hello Ivan," she said in a low voice. Ivan waved at her silent.

"Why did you do that to your hair?" he asked outright.

"Oh, this?" Ju asked. "I felt like getting cut." She patted the edges of her hair again. "Do you like it?" the girl asked.

"Uh… yeah," Yao said quickly. "It looks great!" Ju looked at him rather off-guard.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes," her business partner said, nodding. Ivan muttered something to him in Russian about her hair looking weird, but the two Chinese people ignored him. However, he wouldn't be the only one to voice his opinion about her hair.

"Why?!" Bik cried when Ju made it home. "Why would you do this to your hair?!" The nurse held her clan leader to her chest. "It was so cute when it was long!" Ju tried to break away from the nurse's heavy bust.

"Let go of me!" she cried a muzzled voice. "I wanted to cut my hair!"

"But why?!" Bik wailed.

"I got tired of my pigtails," Ju yelled. "Please let me go!" She managed to push away from the nurse, panting. Bik looked up at her, pouting.

"Please grow it back!" she pleaded. Hen-to cleared his throat.

"Never mind that now, dear," he cut in. "We've got more pressing issues to worry with." Ju tilted her head at him.

"More pressing?" she asked.

"Yes, your uncle is in town," Hen-to said in a somber voice. Ju's eyes widened at this shocking bit of news.

"Oh," she mumbled. The leader glanced up her adviser. "Does he know about my father's death?" she asked.

"I bet that he does," Hen-to said.

"And the shift in power in the clan?" Ju asked.

"I'm guessing that he will soon," the advisor answered. Ju thought about this, nodding.

"How do you think we can keep it from him?" she asked.

"I don't think very long," Hen-to said. "What is your plan?" Ju pressed her lips together.

"Well…"she said. "It looks like we'll have to prepare for a fight." Those words alone tasted so bitter in her mouth. She already had university, Yao, and the odd happenings on her plate. The girl couldn't expect this to get any worse.

"So much for an easy winter break," Ju muttered to herself. "Oh boy…"

"Excuse me?" Hen-to asked. His leader only sighed as she shook her head.


	2. Maple

Match Two: Maple:

Alfred knocked on his girls' door in the middle of winter. He clutched a small jar of hot peppers in his hand. The man looked up with the door opened a crack.

"Yes?" Lydia asked, peeking out. Alfred cleared his throat.

"How's Florence doing?" he asked. Lydia glanced down at her feet.

"She's tired," she answered. The younger girl moved aside to let her sister's friend inside. Alfred followed her down to Florence's bedroom. Lydia knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Florence asked inside.

"You have a visitor," Lydia whispered.

"Okay," Florence said in a small voice. Her younger sister pushed open the door. Alfred quietly walked inside.

"Yo," he said with a wave. Florence gave him a tired smile. She nodded at him.

"I'll leave you two alone," Lydia said in a whisper. She quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Alfred waved her off. He turned his attention back to Florence. She looked paler than death itself. Her face looked so sullen from where he stood. Her arms looked thinner than twigs in her bed. Even her hair looked so dry on her head. Alfred didn't even know how to deal with this.

"Uh… hi," he spoke up.

"Hello," Florence said in soft, raspy voice. Alfred's eyes darted around the room.

"Uh… I saw that you have Christmas tree in your living room," he said. "It's kind funny considering… you know." The American man chuckled in the empty silence. Okay, that didn't work. Alfred tried to dig into his brain for something to kill dullness around them.

"Hey!" he said aloud. "We you like to hear about the Lewis and Clark expedition?" Florence gave him a tired smile.

"Alright," she said. Alfred sat down on the floor next to her bed.

"Okay," he said. "My boss wanted some space for my place, so he went these two dudes, Lewis and Clark to help out…" This is all that he can do for now. Lydia would have to deal with this for now.

"Every year that she survives this is another year that I can say thanks to letting her live a little bit longer," she told Alfred on the swing set in the snow days earlier. "However, it also means that she has less chances of being so lucky." She turned to Alfred. "You know why we go to the hospital every year, right?" she asked.

"To keep her from dying?" he asked.

"That's right," Lydia said. She sat down on the swing.

"Can I ask you something?" Alfred asked.

"Sure," the girl answered.

"How long have Florence lived like this?" he asked.

"Twenty-eight years," Lydia replied. Alfred looked at her with big eyes.

"Twenty-eight years?!" he yelped. "But that would mean…" The young girl gave him a stern nod.

"Yes," she answered. "My parents took care of her before I was born."

"Damn," Alfred muttered as he looked at his lap. Lydia froze in place.

"But, I don't know how much longer this will last for her," she said. "Each year could be her last one." Alfred stared at her.

"Lydia…" he said. The young girl shook her head. Alfred looked out on the falling snow in the park. He kept all of that mind as he told Florence stories of his glory days until she fell asleep.


	3. Tenko

Match Three: Tenko:

Kiku's meds aren't working anymore. He's starting to see vision outside of his dreams. They are so vivid that he isn't sure if they are hallucinations or actually happening. He sat at his desk, looking at the bottle of pills. His shrink recommended them to him.

"Take these before you go to bed and early in the morning," he said. Kiku took them with a grim smile on his face. In the beginning, the pills worked. Somehow, the visions grew stronger and started to overtake his mind.

Tonight was no different.

Kiku was heading home when the next vision began. He froze when he heard the sound of children laughing. His eyes darted behind him. Before he knew it, a void darkness surrounded him. Kiku held his bag close to his body.

_What… What is this?_

Playful carnival music filled the air. The man slowly turned his head forward. A giant dark blue and purple tent arose from the ground, opening the front flaps like a giant hungry mouth. Before he knew, Kiku found himself in the middle of a faceless crowd walking towards that monster of a tent. Whispers buzzed around in his ears. The Japanese man took a step backwards.

_What is this? Why are you all going in there? Stop! Don't go in there! Turn away! Turn away!_

However, the more he thought this, the more he himself walked deeper into the unresponsive crowd. The sea of people didn't have an end behind him. To the sides, vendors popped up like weeds from the ground. Everyone wore yukata in different bright colors. Fireflies flying around the people gave off the only source of light in this vision.

"Come up and try these tasty fried squid dumplings!" one vendor yelled.

"Fresh roasted seaweed!" another shouted.

"Cotton candy!" a third one yelled. The overpowering smells about made Kiku stumble backwards in a faint. He struggled as he tried to remain standing. _This isn't real! Get a hold of yourself! Go back! Go back!_

"Pssst!" someone behind him whispered. Kiku looked up, bewildered. A man about his age stood in front of him with golden tickets in his hand. Kiku pointed to his nose.

"Me?" he asked.

"Yes!" the other man said with a nod. Kiku wandered over to him with a curious look on his face.

"What is it?" Kiku asked. The man shoved the tickets in his face.

"Take one!" he said. The Japanese man stepped back, shaking his head.

"No, I can't!" Kiku said.

"It's a double feature tonight!" the vendor insisted. The other man shook his head.

"No!" he shouted. The vendor raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why not?" he asked.

"It's a trick!" Kiku yelped. "I won't take it!"

"Please?" the vendor asked. The Japanese man frantically shook his head. The other man sighed and lowered his shoulders.

"Fine," he said. "But you're going to miss a great show." Kiku hesitated at first. _I possibly can't…_ In the end, he gave in and took the golden ticket from his hand. The vendor gave him a little smile.

"Attaboy," he said, panting Kiku on the back.

"Please stop touching me," the Japanese man mumbled to himself.

Kiku ended up walking into the tent with the endless crowd of people. He took a seat near the back exit. The tent was so quiet that he could hear the blood flowing through his veins. Kiku gulped as he tried to keep his mind together. No one said a word as a man in black coat and top hat stepped in the center ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted. His voice was loud enough to shake the whole tent. "We've got a double feature for all of you tonight!" the man in black shouted. "Behold, the Fallen Angel!" He stepped aside as bright white light focused on the center. Kiku saw two big white wings huddle closed. Suddenly, the white feathers slowly opened up, revealing a young woman with bright blonde wavy hair dressed in white. All eyes fell upon this woman. Kiku noticed the look on her face as she rose to her feet.

 _She looks so sad_ , he thought. However, the Japanese man noticed something else about this angel on stage. A man with a black demonic face stood behind the angel as she spread her wings. Curious, Kiku felt his body moving around behind the two people on stage. A look of terror came over the man's face as he noticed that the "angel's" wings when gruesomely stitched to her back with wires. The demonic man spread out the wings with black poles like they were a puppet. Kiku floated away, wanting to scream as he could feel the stitches in his back.

_No! You can't do this to her! She is not your toy for viewing! Let her go! Let her go!_

This isn't the first time that he's had this vision. It's gotten worse this evening. Kiku doesn't know how to stop it anymore. The others are starting to see vision problems with their Japanese friend.

"Shouldn't we talk to him?" Feliciano asked.

"And say what?" Gilbert asked back. Nobody could answer his question. But, how long before the other countries felt the effect of the wasteland themselves?


	4. Meeting, Uncle, and Odd Thoughts

Match Four: Meeting, Uncle, and Odd Thoughts:

-Ju-

Already on my winter break, I don't get a chance to rest. I leaned back at my desk. I don't feel like working today. Still, I force myself to keep a poker face long enough to get through this morning.

"Okay," I said aloud. "What's been going on so far?" Hen-to pulled out his file.

"Not much, but there are two smaller companies who like to talk to you," he said.

"I see," I said, thinking. I pulled out my planner and read through for any blank dates. "Do you have any days available?" I asked Yao.

"I'm free on Saturday," he said.

"This week or next?" I asked.

"Both," Yao replied.

"I see…" I muttered, staring at the page in front of me. "How about this Saturday, then?" I asked.

"Good," he said.

"And you guys?" I asked. Hen-to and Fei nodded after much thought. I breathed out at my desk.

"Okay," I said. "Onto the next item." All of the men in the room looked at me with serious looks on their faces. I pressed my lips together and nodded.

"Right," I muttered.

"Do we have to?" Fei asked.

"I'm afraid so," I answered. "How much does he know?"

"He knows about the old lord's death and that you are now head of the clan," Hen-to answered.

"Ah," I said. "And how long before he makes his way here?"

"About a couple of days," Fei said.

"And what should I do then?" I asked.

"Bolt the doors!" Hen-to quickly suggested. "He's just going to try and take your money and seize power of the control. If that happens, he'll run it into the ground. You have to bolt the doors and don't let him in." I put up my hand and shook my head.

"While I am aware of his true nature," I said. "I cannot simply do that. He might spread rumors about me being ungrateful to cause failure with our businesses." Hen-to sat back, frowning.

"This is true," he muttered.

"Which is why we will meet him in public and try to persuade him to leave the clan alone," I went on. "I know it won't be easily to get through to him, but I want to try all other options before we take drastic measures."

"Drastic measures?" Yao asked.

"Let's not get ahead here," I said. "We'll all talk first and be on our guard. Everyone agreed?"

"Yes," my boys answered.

"It would be easier to bolt the doors," Hen-to mumbled to himself. I tried to ignore him as I went onto the next item in the meeting. While we talked, I began to think about an old boyfriend that I had in junior high. He was a first love of mine and really charming. Maybe not like Yao, but he still stole my heart. Our romance didn't last long, but I can still remember the fireworks that he left behind. His looks, voice, and laugh stayed in my head to this day. My younger mind even wanted to marry him. Too bad it wasn't meant to be. I wondered how he was doing now and if he got married. The thoughts about made me jump in my chair.

Why am I thinking about him at a time like this?


	5. Urban Legends

Match Five: Urban Legends:

The other countries started to feel it too.

Visions of a fallen city and a carnival began to appear in their dreams as well. The source came from Kiku himself. To tell the truth, his mind locked away a horrible secret that he himself wasn't consciously aware of. Lately, he smelled blood on his body and clothes. Sena tried to assure him that it was in his head.

"You're just imagining things," she told him. Her husband shoved her off as he walked into the bathroom. Sena sat on the bed with unease in her chest. To be honest, she herself began to small the blood on her body as well.

They weren't the only one.

In the shower, Ludwig could smell the blood the worst. Initially, he thought that it was in his head. _I haven't done anything to be covered in blood_ , he thought. Ludwig believed that it would go away if he took it easy for a couple of days. After about three days of rest, the blood scent grew worse and he didn't understand why.

 _Where is that smell coming from?_ Ludwig turned to his laptop for research. When he couldn't come up with the answer, he turned to the doctors.

Kiku smelled the blood the worst. He even began to see ghostly images in his own reflection. As a result, the mirrors in the house ended up covered up. The man couldn't eat or sleep too well anymore.

"Come on, baby," Sena said in a low voice. "You have to eat something." Her husband wouldn't even respond. Nobody could stir him from his despair. With nowhere else to turn, Sena picked up the phone once her husband took a bath.

"Hello, doc?" she whispered. "It's getting worse. Could you help us?"

"I'll see what I can do," the therapist answered on the other line. However, Sena's mind went elsewhere when she felt a drop land on her right cheek. She about jumped at the sensation. _What the hell?!_ Against her better judgment, her eyes trailed upwards. They widened at what she saw dripping from the ceiling.

_Oh my… No. No!_

Blood drops formed from the ceiling and landed on her face.

Meanwhile, Kiku sat in the tub out in a daze. In his mind, the water turned blood red with the smell to match. _Somebody get me out of this hell..._

All the way, a blackened fifteen-year-old school girl watched all of them. Yet, she does not move. She might be waiting for something to happen or someone to make the first move to rip open the fragile gates. It is possible that the scent of blood is coming from her.

Meanwhile, Yao, Ju, Hen-to, and Fei waited in a local outdoor café for their "guest of honor."


	6. Uncle, Deal, and Doubts

Match Six: Uncle, Deal, and Doubts:

-Ju-

I looked at my cell phone. "When is he due to arrive?"

"We told him three o'clock," Hen-to answered. I nodded at the outdoor table.

"Ah," I replied. Fei frowned after that short exchange.

"He's going to show up late like he usually does," he grumbled under his breath. I glanced over at him standing behind me.

"That's why we told him three o'clock when we meant four o'clock," I replied. I caught him grinning out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh, I see!" he said aloud.

"Speaking of which," Yao cut in. "Here comes that greedy bastard now." We all looked up to see Jianjun walking towards our table. She kept up my composure.

"Remember the plan," I whispered. My uncle made it over to my party.

"Ju!" he said aloud with his arms wide open. "You're grown so well."

"Yes," I said in a calm voice.

"When I saw you last time, you were a little girl," Jianjun went on.

"Stop kissing up, you old bastard!" Fei cut in. "We know what you're really like!" I put up my hand to stop him.

"That's enough," I said in a low voice. My uncle looked at him as if he hurt his feelings.

"Aw, Fei," he said with a pout. "How could you say that about me?"

"Because it's true," Fei muttered under his breath.

"Anyway," I spoke up. "Please take a seat." Jianjun smiled as he complied. I glanced around at my men around me.

"You too," I said. "Pull up chairs if you have to." Hen-to, Fei, and Yao all got chairs and sat at the table. I took off my sunglasses.

"Good," I said. "Now we can't begin."

"Why didn't you tell me your father was dead?" Jianjun asked.

"You deserve to be kept in the dark," Hen-to hissed behind my ear.

"There you go again," my uncle said. "You don't seem to have such a high opinion of me. He's family, I deserve to know."

"No, you don't," Yao growled.

"Ah, Wang, so good to see you alive and well," Jianjun said. "And still looking like a woman." Yao was about to speak when I held up my hand to stop him.

"Okay, let's focus here," I spoke up. "Save the pleasantries on your own time." All of the men went quiet, but still glared daggers at each other. I better make this quick before war breaks about me. I cleared my throat.

"Jianjun," I said. "I have an offer for you." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What kind of offer?" he asked. I rested my hands under my chin.

"We are willing to offer you 12355 yuan a month," I said. I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't fully go for it.

"What's the catch?" he asked.

"Please leave the clan alone," I said. "It's what father would've wanted."

"Why should I?" Jianjun asked. "You people didn't even bother to invite me to the funeral!"

"Because you're a vulture!" Hen-to barked.

"Hen-to, please," I said. I turned my attention back to Jianjun once my advisor closed his mouth. "Please, I'm dealing with college and clan now. Just take the money." Jianjun sat back thinking.

"12355 yuan a month, huh?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "Do we have a deal?" He rose to his feet and turned to leave.

"Jianjun?" I asked. My uncle glanced over his shoulder at us.

"I'll think about it," he said in a cold tone. He walked away, leaving me unease about this. The waiter approached our table with our tea.

"Well?" Yao asked. I picked up my cup and took a drink.

"I think it will be alright for now," I lied. My partner and advisors could tell in my tone they weren't too convinced.

"Should we keep watch over him?" Hen-to whispered in my ear.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. I took another long sip of my tea to help calm me down. I think I made the right call, surely I did.


	7. Seedling

Match Seven: Seedling:

There was once a couple from Maine. They grew tired of the city and their home life. The man had the idea to go out into the countryside and live with nature again. His wife happily jumped at the chance handed to her.

"I know of a cabin in Louisiana," she told him.

"How do you know this?" her husband asked. She smiled and brought up the pictures on her laptop screen.

"Well?" she asked. He nodded with approval when he saw all of the pictures.

"I can afford it," the husband said. She turned to him from her laptop.

"When do we leave?" the wife asked.

"Right now," he said, hyped up. She looked at him with her jaw dropped.

"Right now?" she repeated.

"Yeah," her husband insisted. "Pack up and let's get going!"

"Okay…" his wife replied, still in shock. The couple left early the next morning with all of their belongings shipped a day ahead of them. They took the train all the way to Louisiana. He talked their vision for a new life in the countryside. This led to a question that she wanted to ask him for a long time.

"Could we have a baby?" she asked. He drew his mouth closed at what he just heard.

"What?!" he asked.

"I want to have children with you," the wife confessed. "And I thought since we were going to have a fresh start…"

"Of course," the husband said. "We can have as many children as we want." Her eyes lit up brighter than the sun.

"Do you mean it?" she asked.

"Anything you want," her husband replied.

"I love you," she said with tears of joy. He only smiled and placed his hand on her knee. She looked out the window at the outside passing by them.

A year later, the couple settled into their life in the cabin in the Southern countryside. They adjusted to their easy nearly-technology-free life. She took up writing poems with a typewriter she found in the attic of the cabin. He sometimes teased her about it.

"Still couldn't let go of that muse, huh?" the husband asked. She would only laugh and keep typing. However, they still were childless. However, the wife wouldn't give up.

"I'll wait as long as it takes us," she told her husband. One day, the wife suffered from writer's block. She stared at her typewriter looking perplexed.

"What's the matter?" her husband asked as he watched her from the couch.

"I can't think of anything to write," she said. "I had the image in my head last night and now it's gone."

"Oh…" he muttered.

"Yeah," she said. The wife sat back in her chair and sighed. The husband pondered how to help her out.

"Let's take a walk in the woods," he offered. She glanced over at him.

"Will that help?" she asked.

"It might," he said with a shrug.

"Okay," his wife said. She picked up her camera and they headed out the door.

The couple hiked along the trail they came to adore so deeply. Along the way, she took more pictures for her scrapbook.

"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" he asked, jokingly.

"Never," she said aloud. The wife happened to turn her camera upwards when she heard wrestling in the bush.

"Honey," she whispered. "There's something over in the bushes."

"Be careful," he whispered back as his wife slowly approached the wild berry bush to investigate. She peeked over with her camera in hand.

"Honey, come over here and look!" she shouted with excitement.

"What is it, dear?" he asked as he walked over to the bush to join her.

"Look," she whispered as she pointed up ahead of them. The husband narrowed his eyes for a better look. His jaw dropped. Before them, sat a little girl about two years old looking up at them. She was naked with her skin covered in dirt. Her deep red hair flowed around her like a little cape. The child looked up at them with big green eyes.

Husband and wife fell in love at first sight.


	8. Stranger, Tarot, and Disturbance

Match Eight: Stranger, Tarot, and Disturbance:

-Ju-

Back in October, I ran into the strangest encounter. I had just left my classes for the day when I noticed a man dressed in black looking for something or someone. I don't think that I've seen him around here before. Curious, I walked over to him.

"Excuse me, sir?" I asked. "Are you lost or something?" I had never seen a face look so pale as the one who looked up at me after he lowered his hood.

"Are Liao Ju?" he asked. I tilted my head at him.

"Who's asking?" I asked. He took a step forward, but tumbled to his knees, coughing.

"Are you okay?" I asked as helped him to his feet. The man looked up at me as he coughed.

"I'll be fine," he said. The man tried to get up, but sank back to the ground.

"No," I insisted. "You need to sit down." I dragged him over to a bench nearby. The man took in slow breaths. I handed him my water bottle.

"Here," I said. "Drink this."

"Thank you," the man said. He took the bottle, opened it, and took a drink.

"Better?" I asked. He nodded at me.

"Good," I said. The man lowered the bottle from his lips.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you," he said. I gave him a puzzled look.

"Why?" I asked. "What do you want with me?"

"Are you familiar with the major arena of the tarot cards?" he asked.

"Yeah, I mean, who isn't?" I asked. The man pointed at my chest.

"You are the Lovers!" he declared.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. He reached into his heavy cloak. I instinctively positioned myself to take off running. Instead of a weapon, the man pulled out a grey plastic box. He handed it to me.

"Take this," he said. "All that you need to know is inside." I still didn't see what he was saying.

"What is it?" I asked. "Why are you giving me this?"

"You have to know your role in the Wasteland," he told me.

"The Wasteland?" I asked. "What are you talking about? This better not be some lame joke they pull on the freshman! I'm reporting you to the dean!"

"This is not a joke. You do not have much time," he warned me. "You have to stop this cycle before it claims everyone again! Go further with the other half of the Lovers and seal the gates of Heaven." I blinked at him, tilting my head.

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked. "I don't have a lover and I am not the Lovers card!" I rose to my feet and reached into my purse. "I'm calling the police!" I shouted.

"You can do as you like," he said. "But…" I couldn't sleep that night because of what he said afterwards. I still can't get them out of my head.


	9. Drive, Data, and Madness

Match Nine: Drive, Data, and Madness:

-Present Day-

I turned the box over and over in my hand. Yao, Hen-to, and Fei don't know anything about this yet. I don't think I even know how to approach them on this. I haven't even brought myself to open the damn box. Why would that old man give it to me in the first place? How did he know me? Did he know my father? I shook my head to myself.

That's not possible. That old man didn't look rich, so why? I sighed and dropped the box at my side. This is getting me nowhere. Well, only one way to find out. I moved the box into my view and pulled it open. A confused look came on my face.

 _What the hell is this?_ A piece of paper was folded up into a square. I unfolded it and a flash drive fell in my lap. I looked down and picked it up. I couldn't find a label on the outside. _Okay, this just got weird._ _I'm not seriously going to go plug this into my laptop and look what's on it, am I?_

Before I knew it, I booted up my laptop and pulled in the flash drive. This could be a prank at my expense. I just need to get this over with and stop thinking about it. The window for the flash drive popped up. I saw only one folder. _The Wasteland?_ I clicked on the icon to open it up. One video file was titled, "End of Days." At first, I frowned at the title.

 _This is a joke, right?_ Yet, I was a big enough sucker to click on the file. The next thirty minutes changed everything.

Crippling figures covered in mud and dirt crawled across a barren landscape. A blindfolded little girl sat strapped down and beaten in a chair in the middle of a darkened room. A young woman dressed in scantily clad white and blue circled a golden pole on a glittery stage. Another little girl looked down at her feet as she pointed to her right.

The clip had no audio. The images looked really grainy as well with them jumping from shot to shot. _Okay, what is the point of this?_

A pair of jeweled hands laid out the tarot cards from the main deck. The Lovers card appeared on the screen. Right away, I remembered what that old man told me. My stomach dropped as the next few images flashed across my screen. Different people were nailed down to crosses dead. The first one was a man, possibly a doctor or therapist, with his cross outside his practice. His neck looked broken at an angle with his mouth wide open and dried blood under his eyes. Another victim was a woman nailed down to another cross on top of an apartment building. Only, her cross was upside down with her pearls tightened around her neck like a noose.

_What the hell is this?_

The third victim made my eyes grow big. This one was dressed in a school girl uniform nailed to her cross, but she had no head. A low whisper filled my earbuds. I couldn't recognize what it was saying, but I had to guess it was in Japanese. The whisper turned into many voices repeating themselves. The cross images repeated themselves while speeding up. Soon, it got to the point that they blended into one image before the screen went black. I was thinking that was it until a loud noise like a death filled my earbuds. I screamed as I hit the floor. As the clip ended, I sat on the floor, panting.

 _What would that old man send me something like that for?_ I rose to my feet and closed everything down. It should've ended there, but something wouldn't let me let it go. That was probably what led to me slowly going mad that year. However, that wouldn't be my only problem. On my nightstand, my phone rang. I leapt back in the air before I realized what it was. _Calm down, stupid!_ _It's only your phone; answer it!_ I gathered up my wits and crawled over to my phone.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Ju? Is that you?" a guy's voice asked on the other line. I dropped my phone on the floor.

"Hello? Hello?" the man asked at my feet.


	10. Kaiju

Match Ten: Kaiju:

"Let's try something different today," the therapist said. Kiku looked at him with tired eyes.

"What?" he asked. The therapist pushed forward a piece of paper and a black ink pen.

"Draw out your dreams," he said. Kiku gave him a big, blank stare. His therapist gave him a calm smile.

"It's okay," he insisted. "You are in a safe place." The other man hesitated before he picked up the pen. His hands shook as he uncapped the pen. A chill raced up his spine as soon as the ink touched the paper. The therapist watched his hands.

"Tell me how you are feeling," he said. Kiku didn't look up.

"I feel fine," he said in an eerily calm voice.

"Have you been sleeping well?"

"No."

"Why is that?"

Kiku's pen made black circles on the page. "She won't let me sleep."

"Who? Your wife?"

The other man shook his head as the pen moved back and forth on the paper. The therapist looked at his notes.

"Do you eat well?" he asked. Kiku moved his lips as if he was saying something. The other man gave him a puzzled look.

"What did you say, Honda-san?" he asked, leaning in. Kiku uttered seven words that made his therapist's spine freeze.

"Okay, let's stop drawing!" he said quickly. When he tried to take the paper away, Kiku snatched it back to continue his work.

"Honda-san!" the therapist shouted. Kiku's hand moved faster with the pen to the page. A loud death rattle noise filled the room. The therapist rushed forward with fright in his eyes.

"Honda-san!" he cried, grabbing the client's shoulders. The other man jerked his head upwards.

"What happened?" Kiku asked. His therapist sat back in his chair, trembling.

"Sensei?" his patient asked. On the table sat Kiku's drawing depicting the blackened face of a fifteen-year-old schoolgirl. The therapist's eyes shrank at horror he had just learned.


	11. First Love, Phone Call, and Visit

Match Eleven: First Love, Phone Call, and Visit:

-Ju-

I slowly picked up my phone again. "Hello?" I asked again.

"Are you feeling okay?" the man asked over the other line. His French-sounding accent threw me off.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Don't you remember me?"

"No…"

"It's me, Stefan!"

I narrowed my eyes, confused. "Who?"

"Don't you remember?" the man asked. "Stefan Peeters!" The name sent shockwaves into my brain.

"Stefan?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. My mind floated back to the summer that I spent with him. I met him back in junior high. He was a foreign exchange student back then. I remember the first thing I noticed about him was his hair.

"Stefan, is that really you?" I asked.

"Yes," he repeated. I dropped back on the wooden floor.

"Wow…" I mumbled.

"Were you okay? You sounded panicked minutes."

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes. I just had a little shock earlier."

"Okay…" he mumbled, uncertain.

"Say, how did you get my number?"

"I was looking through my old papers in my office and came across your house number," Stefan explained. "I dialed your house last month, but Bik picked up. She said you were at uni, but she gave me your cell phone number."

"I see," I said. "So why didn't you call me until now?"

"I was busy with life," he answered. I frowned to myself.

"Uh-huh…"

"How are you doing? Other than, you know…"

"Good and you?"

"I'm great."

My lips twisted in deep thought. "Stefan."

"Yes?" he asked.

"What made you decide to call?" I waited as he went quiet on the other line. "Stefan?"

"You know, I don't really know why," he replied. "I just called you on a whim."

"A whim?" I asked.

"You can say that?" Stefan asked. "When can I see you again?" His question felt like a random smack in the face.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm heading to China next week," he said. I sat up with big eyes.

"How long are you staying?" I asked.

"For a couple weeks," Stefan replied. "We have so much to catch up on. Can I see you again?" I don't know why I said this; it just happened to tell you the truth.

"Sure," I said.

"Great," he said. "I'll see you next Friday."

'Okay…" I said in a tiny voice. "Bye."

"Goodbye," Stefan said back. We hung up at the same time. I lowered the phone with an uncomfortable smile on my face. _Did I just do… what I thought I just did?_ I did not have a good feeling about this anymore.


	12. No Ordinary Love

Match Twelve: No Ordinary Love:

Yao came over again tonight. More like Ju invited him over.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked.

"Yes," she said in a low voice. "Would you like to come in?" Yao followed her into her house.

"What is all of this about?" he asked when they made it to the kitchen.

"Would you like anything to drink?" she asked with her back turned to him.

"No thank you," he replied. "What did you call me over here for this late at night?" Ju pressed her lips together at the fridge.

"What am I to you?" she asked. Yao made a strange face at her.

"Are we back to that one again?" he asked.

"Yao, please!" she pleaded. He lowered his head.

"We are partners," the older man explained to her.

"Is that all?" she asked. Yao couldn't understand where this was heading.

"Where is all of this coming from?" he asked. She whipped around from the fridge to face him.

"My ex called me earlier today," she said.

"Okay…"

"He wants to come up and see me."

"And why is this a problem?"

His younger partner sat down at the table in front of him with a desperate look in her eyes. "Kiss me."

Yao's eyes widened in shock. "Aru?"

"Kiss me," Ju pleaded again. "Please! I need you to kiss me!" He gave her a reluctant look.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

"I will as soon as you kiss me," she pressed. Yao lowered his shoulders and gave her a small kiss on her lips. He stayed for ten seconds before pulling away. Ju looked at him straight in the eye.

"Kiss me again," she whispered. Yao gave her another kiss.

"Again," Ju said. He gave her another small one.

"Again," she pleaded. His younger partner demanded more kisses in an attempt to try and feel something from him. Yao finally took hold of her in his arms and pinned her against the wall. His tongue darted straight into her mouth. She buried her hands into his long, dark hair.

"Don't let me go," Ju whispered in between kisses. Yao's body pinned her in place against her kitchen wall. His young partner closed her eyes in an attempt to feel something. He couldn't understand the pain that she was now venturing into, but he felt that he had to stay until she was ready to talk to him properly. With that thought in mind, he led her back to her bedroom.

Ju fell back onto her bed, looking up. Yao climbed on top and kissed her again. She reached up and pulled him closer to him. During the whole time, the clan leader tried to make sense of the whole night. The images from the file, Stephen's voice, and Yao's affection threw her into a strange land. Ju hoped that each kiss and caress would straighten her out.

"Don't leave me tonight," she begged in a whisper.

"I won't," Yao said back in her ear. His hands moved up her black sweater. She moaned in his mouth when his fingertips met with her skin. _I want… I want…_ Her fingers unbuttoned his jacket. She let her body become tangled up with his within her sheets. This was all that she could do to keep her sanity in check until she could talk clear again.

 _Don't let me go, Yao. I need you tonight._ However, she knew that this fix would kill something inside of her even further. Still, she couldn't stop or else the other extreme would plunge her back into that madness.

_Don't let me go. Don't let me go!_


	13. Common Visions

Match Thirteen: Common Visions:

Every nation's vision of the wasteland is starting to get stronger. Ju looked up at Yao in her bed.

"Yao," she whispered. "Yao." He rolled over to her, grumbling.

"What is it?" he asked. Ju looked at with a concerned look on her face.

"Have you had any weird visions lately?" she asked. Yao tilted his head at her.

"What?" he asked.

"You know…" Ju tried to think about what exactly what she wanted to say. "Dream, nightmares… things like that."

Yao pondered her question as if it was an important decision that needed to be made right away. "I guess…"

"What kind?" Ju pressed.

Yao gave her a confused look. "Why do you want to know?"

"Please tell me! It's really important. Try to remember everything you saw in your dreams."

Yao had to try and shush her. "Okay, okay."

His words match with the rest of the nations that talk about their dreams with each other.

Kiku:

"I feel myself in the middle of some type of festival. I can't tell what year or season it is. Most of the people there are wearing masks. The music's loud enough to drown out my own thoughts."

Yao:

"The child vendors keep trying to sell me food and useless toys, but I turn them down. They don't seem to know how to quit. Anyway, there's a huge tent up ahead and all of these people keep going inside." Ju leaned in intently.

"Go on," she said. Yao thought harder as he put the picture together in his head.

"Well…"

Ivan:

"I can't help but to go inside. Something tells me not to, but I do it anyway. The people inside go into the tent without much thought. More of them follow behind me to get into this tent as well."

Alfred:

"It's like nothing can stop them. They keep walking. Yelling at them to stop is pointless, they just won't listen. There is like a masked man yelling at them to come and inside and watch the main show."

Yao:

"You have to have a ticket to get in. It's not just any normal ticket. Some of the people in the line have tickets, but half of them get turned away. Only a small handful can go inside. Somehow, I am able to get inside without a ticket. The man taking the tickets doesn't even notice me at all."

Ju narrowed her eyes at him. "What kind of ticket?" Her partner shook his head.

"That's all I remember," he said. "Did that help?"

"A little," Ju said as if she was lost in thought. Yao looked over at her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I don't really know yet," she answered. "I'm still trying to gather the answer for myself." Her business partner closed his mouth in understanding. Even the tougher countries like Ludwig and Gilbert were starting to feel the effects of the wasteland themselves. With too many stories of these dreams sounding similar, the nations all called for a meeting the next day.


	14. World Meeting

Match Fourteen: World Meeting:

"Okay!" Alfred spoke up at the meeting. "We have a situation on our hands!" No one spoke up around the table. The American man bit on his lower lip. Clearly, his mind was elsewhere today. Still, he made himself stay focused.

"We are talking about dreams here," he said. That drew everyone's attention towards him.

"What does everyone see?" Alfred asked. Chatter filled the room no sooner had the question left his mouth.

"Dudes, calm down!" he shouted. His voice disappeared under theirs. However, one country didn't speak up. Kiku looked down at his hands. Only he knew the truth. After all, it did originate with him. He couldn't say a word. _They_ kept him quiet. He's seen this before. Kiku already saw where this was going to go.

"Kiku?" someone asked as they poked him on the arm. The Japanese man jerked his head upwards to see Feliciano inches into his face. He leapt backwards in his chair.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Are you okay?" the Italian man asked. "You don't look so good." Kiku waved him off, shaking his head.

"I'm fine!" he said, quickly. "Really I am!"

"You look so pale!" Feliciano pointed out.

"Just leave me alone!" the Japanese man shouted. All eyes fell upon him. Kiku looked around in a panic.

"I'm sorry! Excuse me!" he blurted out. The man took off running for the bathroom.

"Kiku!" Alfred yelled after him. The door already swung shut.

The cool water ran in the sink as Kiku splashed it on his face. He took in heavy breaths. The man looked at himself in the mirror.

"Get it together, man," he muttered to himself. "You are getting therapy for this. They all want to help through this. You are alone! Don't freak out so much!" Kiku drew in another deep breath. _Right…_ He turned and walked back to the conference room.

In the mirror where he once stood was a reflection of a blackened schoolgirl walking closer to the sink.


	15. Gingko

Match Fifteen: Gingko:

Alfred lay back on the carpet. "What do you want to hear today?"

Florence lifted her head up from her pillows. "The 60's." Her friend made an odd face.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. Alfred put his hand to his forehead, shaking his head.

"Oh god," he said. "That time, huh?"

"Yes," she repeated. Alfred put on a brave face.

"Okay," he said. "Where do I begin?" He shook his head to himself. "That was a crazy time!"

"What was it like?" Florence asked. He puffed up his cheeks.

"So embarrassing," the American man said. "Those clothes were ugly. I still shudder when I see tye-dye." Florence gave him a tiny chuckle.

"Oh come on," he complained. "It's not that funny, dude."

"It wouldn't be that bad," she told him. He gave her a strange face.

"You're joking, right?" he asked. Florence shook her head.

"I mean that," she said in a whisper. As Alfred struggled to think of something to say, a question came into his head.

"What about you?" he asked. Florence gave him a confused look.

"Hm?" she asked.

"Do you have any stories about yourself?" he asked. "Where were you born?"

"I remember that I came from the countryside of Louisiana," Florence answered. "I don't recall any more details from there. My parents were nice people. Mother wrote poetry and Father loved nature."

"Poetry?" Alfred asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Do you remember what she wrote?" he asked.

"I might," his friend answered. She broke down into couching. Her attempts to talk didn't help either.

"Whoa!" Alfred said, rushing to her side. "Take it easy there!" The tree spirit still tried to talk with her coughing. He handed her a glass of walk.

"Here, drink this," the American man whispered. He helped her take a drink. Florence swallowed little sips before she could stop. She took in slower breaths. Alfred drew back the empty glass.

"Better?" he asked. Florence nodded her head.

"Much better," she replied. "Thank you." A knock came on the bedroom door. The pair looked up to see Lydia standing in the doorway with a tray in her hands.

"It's time for her medicine," she said.

"Oh," Alfred said. "I'll get out of your way." He stepped away from the bed and let the younger sister walk into the room. He resisted how long Florence would be like this. The American man asked that before and Lydia gave him the evil eye, telling him that he crossed a line. Alfred never asked that question again since. Still, it wasn't as bad as it was going to get at Ju's place.


	16. Crisis, Stefan, and Solace

Match Sixteen: Crisis, Stefan, and Solace:

-Ju-

How did this happen? I got the phone call about seven in the morning. I reached out of the bed and picked up my cell phone.

"Hello?" I answered in a tired voice.

"Liao-furen!" a woman shouted on the other line. "We've got trouble!"

"What?" I asked. She proceeded to scream in panic even more. I had to shush her over the phone.

"Shhh," I told her. "Slow down and talk to me." The woman relayed everything back to me the best that she could. I jolted up straight in bed.

"What?!" I shouted. I leapt out of bed and got dressed. _Oh hell no! That cannot be right!_ I grabbed my cell phone and stormed out of the room.

I pushed open the office door. "Okay, what the hell is this?!" Yao, Hen-to, Fei, and one of our business associates looked up at me from the table. The woman with her pearl necklace handed me an invoice.

"What's this?" I asked as I took it and read over it. At first, I didn't get what I was supposed to see.

"What am I looking at?" I asked.

"Here," she said as took her pen and traced along the total line. I narrowed my eyes as I began to see the problem.

"This isn't right," I said. I looked up at the party before me. "Why is the total for Red Silk this low?"

"We are looking into that as we speak," Yao said in a calm tone.

"I think your uncle's involved!" Fei said without missing a beat. I glanced over at him.

"Do you have any proof of this?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders at me.

"No, but I wouldn't be surprised," my advisor answered.

"Let's focus on fixing the problem before we start pointing fingers," I spoke up. "I am calling an emergency budget meeting." I took my place at the head of the table. We may have talked a serious game, but my mind floated back to Stefan. To be honest, it's starting to creep me out. I mean, I'm kind of with Yao. Even though I don't exactly know what our relationship is, but all I know is that I'm with him. But why won't my ex leave my head? What makes it even worse is that I am actually looking forward to seeing him again. I know it is a bad thing, but like my sexual encounters with Yao, I just can't seem to help myself. That is what scares me the most.

I shut my eyes and shook my head, trembling. _I need to get a better hold of myself or else it could all go badly for me._ I froze when I held a hand close around mine. I peeked out of my right eye to see Yao eyeing. I opened my eyes to see him getting me the worried look of a parent to his child. I felt my stomach drop. _Please don't look at me like that. You make it worse for me. You don't have to give me your pity as well._

"Are feeling okay?" he asked me with his eyes. I forced myself to smile.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. We have to fix this current mess right now," I answered back with my eyes. I hoped that he would believe me. I don't know if he did or not, but Yao turned back to the meeting. Only then was I able to relax and focus again. It isn't much, but he is all that I have to kind me sane for the time being. Yet, I wonder how long that will last.


	17. Nightmares

Match Seventeen: Nightmares:

Kiku's having more dreams again. They are starting to feel real to him. Therapy stopped working for him a long time ago. Tonight, his dreams took a different turn.

-Nightmare Begins-

Kiku found himself floating above the sky. The man could see and hear everything above and below him. He focused on the crowds walking around in Yao's homeland. Middle-aged men sat drinking at the bar while their wives were playing mahjong in their homes. The younger folks were looking around for something entertaining to do. The elderly met up at Ikea to look for date. Kiku tried to ease himself in this dream.

 _There's nothing bad here_ , he thought. However, something inside of him wouldn't let him do so as he turned looked ahead to a certain house in the distance below. The Japanese man recognized this particular house right away, but couldn't quite put a face to who exactly lived here.

 _I have seen this before_ , he thought. _But… I can't remember where._ Kiku floated downwards as he heard footsteps approaching the house. A girl about fifteen-years-old reached into her purse and pulled out her house key. He could only see her back. The girl pushed open the door and went inside. Before she could fully go inside, a big figure in big leapt out and grabbed her.

Kiku could barely see anything after that. He only caught small glimpses. Clothes being ripped, scratches, screaming, wild groans, and flashes of black. By the end, the girl lay on the living room floor scratched and beaten. Kiku longed to help her, but felt his body being pulled away.

 _No! I can't leave her! Take me back! Take me back! I have to save her! Take me back!_ He disappeared into the darkness.

-Nightmare Ends-

Kiku awakes trembling. _I have to warn Yao._ He reached for his cell phone and dialed the number.


	18. Judas

Match Eighteen: Judas:

Szu came home late from tutoring that night. She didn't know that the events to follow would kick the gate to the Wasteland. Days earlier, she met a predator. They only met once that day.

"Excuse me," he said on the first day they met. "Do you know how to get to this address?" He handed the girl a sheet of paper. Szu and her friends read over the sheet.

"I know where it is," she said. The girl gave him the information needed. However, he kept his eyes on her the whole time. He would just have to have her.

"Was that helpful?" Szu asked at last.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "Thank you, so much." They bowed and parted ways. That wouldn't be the end of it, however.

Tonight, Szu put the key into the lock. He watched her even now. Ever since that, he watched her in his obsession. He timed everything down to their second encounter. Up to this point, no day felt right to him. Szu was never really alone. Tonight, her parents weren't home and her friends didn't accompany her. He licked his lips as he watched her open the door from inside.

_Perfect!_

Szu reached over to turn on the living room light. Before her fingers touched the switch, a heavy hand grabbed her onto her wrist. Another hand covered her mouth as she forced to the ground. Her eyes darted around in panic.

_Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!_

She couldn't see her assailant's face. "Please let me go!" she begged. "I can give you money, if you want." The big hand smacked her across her face. He growled something to her, but fear kept her from understanding what he was saying or who was saying it. Szu whimpered as the assailant ripped open her blouse.

"Please let me go," she pleaded. "I won't tell anyone, I promise." His hand covered her mouth as he ripped off her pantyhose's. He pushed apart her thighs and broke her. Thrust after thrust tore her up inside. Tears began streaming down her cheeks.

_Please… Mama… Help me! Someone… Anyone… Help…_

Her broke her and ended it with a kiss. Szu lay there with wide, empty eyes and crushed soul. He smirked as his obsession was fulfilled.

"Good night," he hissed. Szu didn't move a muscle as she heard him walk out the door. The tears didn't seem and to know how to stop as the Wasteland became open to not just her, but to all of the nations of the world.

She reached over for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Szu could only dial the one number she thought of at the time.


	19. Family Crisis

Match Nineteen: Family Crisis:

Qian picked up his cell phone sitting on his nightstand. "Hello?"

"Qian," an injured voice whimpered on the other line. The boy narrowed his eyes confused.

"Szu?" he asked. "What are you doing calling me so late?"

"I'm in trouble. Could you come over?"

"I can't…"

"Well, why not?"

"I'm hurt…" The sadness in her tone was enough to make him get out of bed, get dressed, and rush right over to her house. To his surprise, the door was left open. Qian rushed inside the darkened house.

"Szu?" he asked. The boy found his dear friend lying on her back with her clothes ripped to shreds. It didn't take him long to figure out what happened.

"Who did this to you?" he asked. Szu's lips murmured something he couldn't hear.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I don't know," she murmured. Szu weakly drew up her hand. "Don't… leave… me…" Tears filled up in her eyes. Qian sat down on his knees next to her.

"I won't leave you," he promised. "I will stay with you as long as you want me to." She opened her mouth to speak, but he gently shushed her. "Please don't talk," he said. "Just go to sleep." Szu slowly closed her eyes. Qian lied down next to her with an ache in his heart. No one deserved to be attacked like this. He hoped that he would at least to try and fix this problem for her.

The next morning, Qian awoke to the sound of Chopin floating in the air. He sat up to find Szu all cleaned up and in new clothes.

"Good morning," she greeted him. Her old friend tilted his head at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. The girl gave him a blank look.

"Of course," she said. "Why wouldn't I be?" He could tell by the look in her eyes that she had begun to try and repress last night from her memory. One little slip would send her reeling again. Best not to say anything to her…

"We still have to tell your parents," he spoke up.

"Tell us what?" a voice asked behind them. The kids turned around to see Szu's parents walking into the living room. Seeing them put her back into a tail spin.

"What's going on here?" her father asked. His daughter just sank down to her knees and wept.


	20. Family Crisis, Burden, and Bigger Problems

Match Twenty: Family Crisis, Burden, and Bigger Problems:

-Ju-

At seven o'clock, I received a knock on the front door.

"Yes?" I asked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "I'm coming. I'm coming. What is it?"

"My lady!" Hark shouted on the other side of the door. "We need your help! Something bad has happened!" The words took their time reaching my brain. I opened the door with a puzzled look on my face.

"Hm?" I asked. Hark and Lili had panicked looks on their faces. Lili looked like she had been crying while her husband's hands shook. I glanced at each one of them back and forth.

"What's the problem?" I asked. Hark grabbed me by the shoulders.

"It's my daughter!" he cried. "She's been attacked!" My mood changed to dead serious.

"Okay, come inside," I said in a low voice. I led them into the house, closing the door behind Lili.

Szu's parents calmed down once I served them tea. "Here," I told them. "Drink this."

"Thank you," Lili murmured. She grabbed the cup and took a drink Hark took his time with his tea. I sat down at the table and waited to speak.

"Okay," I said. "Take your time. Explain to me what happened." Hark drew in a breath and gave the story to me the best that Szu could. All of the color drained from my face.

"Did she get a good look at the guy's face?" I asked.

"No!" Lili yanked.

"Have you called the police?" I asked.

"What do we tell them?" Hark asked. "They won't take her seriously." I shrugged my shoulders.

"We still have to try," I said. "I mean she was a virgin and just starting high school too." I couldn't think with the sad eyes my "aunt" and "uncle" were giving me. It kind of hurt too. I knew a personal problem along this line would pop up sometime, but I didn't expect to be blindsided by this. We didn't even have much to go on and I didn't know how to deal with a rape victim. I clutched the table as I pressed my lips together.

"Okay, I'll talk to her," I said. They were about to speak when the phone rang.

"Excuse me," I said, bowing my head. I got up and walked back to my room. "Hello?" I asked when I answered my cell phone on the dresser. A puzzled look came over my face.

"What?" I asked. "Slow down. Slow down. Now just start over and tell me what the problem is." It only took about five minutes on the phone before I got dressed and rushed straight out the door. _How the hell did this happen?!_


	21. Money Monster

Match Twenty-One: Money Monster:

Ju raced to the main office. She found Yao and all of the workers standing up, waiting for her. Their boss put her hands on her hips.

"Tell me what happened!" she demanded. "How the hell could this happen?" No one said a word at first. Ju narrowed her eyes at all of them. Clearly, this loss of their money was no accident. No one else knew what was going on in their company. They must have a rat somewhere. One girl pressed her trembling lips together.

"I am so sorry!" she blurted out. Ju raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why would you be?" she asked. The girl sank down to her knees.

"I was led astray!" she cried. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Everyone looked at her. Ju turned her attention to Yao.

"What's going on here?" she asked. Yao came over to her side.

"It seems that we had a leak," he whispered. I looked up at him.

"Let's not do this in front of them," I whispered back. We looked at the girl on her knees, trembling before us.

"What is your name?" I asked. The girl gulped as she lifted her head.

"Huan, miss," she replied.

"I see," I replied. "Huan, could you come back to the office with us?"

"Yes, ma'am," she whimpered.

The three of them walked into the office and took our respective places. Huan moved her hands into her lap. Yao and Ju stared her down.

"Now," Ju said. "Start from the beginning. What did you do?" Huan gulped as she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Look up when you talk to us," Yao told her. Huan lifted her head again.

"Now talk to us," the clan leader said. "What happened?" She clenched her hands into fists.

"I met a new boyfriend," Huan began.

"A boyfriend?" Yao asked. Ju put up my hand to silence him.

"Go on," she said. Huan pressed her hands together.

"It was okay at first," she said. "Three weeks ago, he told me that he was looking for a job." She could feel her stomach drop. "I suggested that he come here for work."

"What is his name?" I asked.

"Choi," she said. "I can't remember his first name." Yao raised an eyebrow at her.

"You don't remember his name?" he asked. Huan looked red in the face with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry!" she yelped. Ju waved her off.

"Never mind that," she said. "What happened next?" Huan pressed her lips together.

"My papa disapproved of him working her," she said. "He said that he would be nothing but trouble."

"Why would he say that?" Ju asked.

"Papa has that weird sixth sense about people like that." She buried her face in her hands. "I should've listened to him." Yao observed her the whole time. To him, something seemed off. Huan wasn't giving them much just yet, but she seemed to be hiding something else as well.

"Did he act alone?" he asked. Huan froze as she focused her eyes on him.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Did he have others working with him?" the older man asked. "Or did he act alone?" Huan bit on her nails.

"Who sent him?" Yao asked.

"He wouldn't say."

Ju pressed her hands together. "Look, we want to help you, but we can't do that if you won't tell us anything. Please be honest with us here." Huan began whimpering as she pressed her lips together. Tears formed in her eyes. Yao didn't believe her for one second. He had one more question to ask her.

"Is Jianjun involved in this?" he asked. Ju looked up at him. His eyes told her to wait for an answer. Huan looked down into her lap and said nothing. Twenty seconds later, nothing happened. In that time span, Yao had his answer.

"We will decide what to do with you later," he said. "You are dismissed." Both women looked up at him puzzled.

"Yao, what are you doing?" Ju whispered.

"Go with me on this," his eyes told her. The man turned back to the employee in the hot seat.

"Go on," he said. "Go back to work until we need to ask you more questions." Huan still looked confused as she slowly nodded her head.

"Okay…" she said. "Excuse me." Huan rose to her feet, bowed, and walked out the door. When the door swung closed, Ju looked up at him.

"What was all of that about?" she asked. "Why did you let her go like that?"

"Because," he replied. "We have everything we need to know. I just need to confirm one more thing before we act."

"How are you going to do that?" she asked. Yao only winked at her. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed up a certain number.

"Hey there," the man said. "Yeah, we have a little problem. Could you check something out for us? Thank you so much. Have a good day." He hung up his cell phone and the wasteland ripped further open to drown all of the nations soon to be involved.


	22. Big Problems, Old Flame, and Dilemma

Match Twenty-Two: Big Problems, Old Flame, and Dilemma:

-Ju-

What the hell is happening here? I don't even know if Huan is telling the truth here. Yao insisted that he'll take care of it, but I feel there was still something missing from this puzzle. That's not the only thing I'm worried about, however.

Szu was raped and she refuses to open up about it. I can't help if she doesn't talk to us. We can't force it out of her either. I sighed as I buried my face into my pillow. It looked like she would have to come forward by herself. My heart went out to her for all of the suffering that she is feeling right now. I just wish that I can do something for her, you know? I rolled over onto my back. Between that and why some of our money is gone, I was having a time here. Add that on the weird files on had on my flash drive…

My cell phone buzzed on my nightstand. I reached over and flipped it open to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Ju?" a graceful male's voice asked on the other line. I sat up with such a shock.

"Stefan?" I asked.

"Why yes," he replied. "I'm in Beijing now." A confused look came over my face.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm at the airport at Beijing."

"Why?"

"I came to see you again."

My brain couldn't grasp where this was headed. At first, I hoped, yes _hoped_ , that this was a prank. Somehow, I didn't really want that to be the case either. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to think of a way to respond.

"You're joking, right?" I asked. I waited for him to respond.

"No," Stefan answered. "My plane just landed here about twenty minutes ago." I didn't know how to react to that.

"Okay…" I said. "But why?"

"I came here to see you," Stefan repeated.

"But why?" I repeated. His next words sent me deeper into the confusing spiral. I didn't expect to hear him say those words again.

"Because I have fallen in love with you again," Stefan said without a single thought. My jaw just dropped. I slowly shook my head.

"No…" I murmured. This can't be right. I have to stop this before it gets out of hand. "Listen…" I began to say. Stefan wouldn't hear me out.

"I will meet you at the park where we used to have our dates," he said. "You remember the place, right?" I nodded as I drew my mouth closed.

"The park's still there, yeah?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I think so."

"Great, I'll meet you there in thirty minutes. Bye, my love," Stefan said in a flirty tone. He hung up before I could say a word. I stared blankly at my phone. My heart and stomach both turned. This is wrong. I should not be doing this.

Yet in ten minutes, I put on my shoes and head out the door.


	23. Tsunami

Match Twenty-Three: Tsunami:

Tina happened to be coming out of convenient store across from the park when an interesting site caught her eye. She paused when she noticed slicked back brown hair under the sun. Tina tilted her head, puzzled. _Is that who I think it is?_ She took slow steps across the street for a better look. The owner of the slicked back brown hair happened to turn and look up. When their eyes met, Tina slowly shook her head.

_No way!_

The man narrowed his eyes at her. "Tina?" The wild American dropped her groceries at her feet.

"Stefan?" she asked. The Belgian man gave her a charming smile.

"Still curvy, I see," he said. Tina raised an eyebrow at him.

"In what way do you mean?" she asked. Stefan put up his hands in the air.

"I mean that in a good way," he replied.

"Heh, in that case, you are forgiven." However, Tina's mood changed as she realized something. "Speaking of which, what are you doing here in China?" Stefan gave her a little chuckle.

"I am in love again," he replied.

"With who?"

"Ju, of course."

Tina gave him a rather puzzled look. "Huh?"

"I am in love with Ju again."

"You can't be serious."

"But I am, dear Tina."

She didn't want to believe what she was hearing at first. "Aren't you married?" Tina asked. Stefan shrugged his shoulders as he turned back to his coffee. That reaction was all that she needed to know. She clenched her fists by her sides.

"Go home," Tina hissed under her breath. Stefan looked up at her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Go home, Stefan!" Tina snapped again. "You have no place here!"

"And why do you say that?" the Belgian man asked with an eyebrow raised.

"You are married!"

"So?"

Tina gritted her teeth as she gave it her all not to scream at this playboy. "She's now the leader of her clan. I will not have _anything_ ruin her! Go home!"

Stefan looked rather surprised to hear this. "Ju's now the leader of her clan?"

"Yes!" Tina shouted. "And right now is not a good time for you to see her! Just go home already!" The Belgian man put up his hands.

"Alright, alright," he said. "I get your point." Tina took in a deep breath.

"Good," she said. "Get going now!"

"Okay," he said. Stefan rose to his feet and walked away. The wild American woman didn't move until she was sure that he was out of her sight. She took another breath once the crisis had passed.

 _It's a good thing I stopped that from causing a mess_ , she thought. Ju didn't really need to know about this, of course. She's already got enough plans on her plate.

-Ju-

Well that was a waste of my time. Stefan didn't even show up at the park like we had planned. I ended waiting until sundown under the tree where we first fooled around. I tried to call him, but he wouldn't pick up. The more I kept looking at my phone and waiting, the more frustrated I became.

 _Where is he?_ Something told me that this was a bad idea in the first place. I looked out at the setting sun in front of me. _I want to go home…_

I unlocked my front door, sighing. What did I go and do that for? The only thing I thought of now was doing my homework, taking a bath, and going to bed.

"Ju!" I heard someone shout as I opened the door. I turned around and my jaw just dropped. Stefan walked up my driveway with that charming smile he had on his face all those years ago.

"Ello," he greeted me. I didn't have the words I wanted to say to him. Part of me hoped to be dreaming right now.

"Is that really you?" I asked. Stefan walked up to me and took hold of my waist.

"Of course!" he said. I blinked at him as I tried to think of a way to reply.

"What do you want?" I asked. Stefan flashed his famous grin at me.

"What else?" he asked. "I want you back." I opened my mouth to speak, but he was quick to shush me. My heart raced in my chest as he was about to kiss me. _We can't be doing this. Stop! Stop!_

"Ju! I have found a lead on Huan's boyfriend!" someone shouted at me. Stefan and I looked up to see Yao walking up my driveway with a folder in his hand. My eyes grew big in panic as he slowed to a stop. I looked between both me—my past and my future. How did it turn into this? Yao raised an eyebrow at us.

"What's going on here?" he asked.


End file.
